


How (not) to Crash a Wedding

by WaffleDogOfficial



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Hyuuga Neji Lives, Mutual Pining, One Shot, Post-Canon, Romance, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:40:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26697643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaffleDogOfficial/pseuds/WaffleDogOfficial
Summary: “What?” Tenten shook her head. “What are you talking about? What kinda thing is that to confess here and now?”In which Neji and Tenten are useless at a wedding.
Relationships: Hyuuga Neji & Rock Lee & Tenten, Hyuuga Neji/Tenten
Comments: 10
Kudos: 56
Collections: r/NarutoFanfiction Gift Exchange





	How (not) to Crash a Wedding

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rukosband](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rukosband/gifts).



Just out of sight of the wedding reception hall, Lee, Neji and Tenten crowded together in a grove of trees to double-check their plan. Tenten smoothed the fabric of her dress over her lap while Neji straightened his haori. Dressed in a waiter’s uniform, Lee had nothing to worry about.

“So I will sneak in with the catering staff from behind the reception hall?” Lee asked. “And Neji and Tenten will join the crowds of wedding guests?” He brushed imaginary dirt away from his uniform.

Neji nodded. “That’s right. It’s lucky that Tenten looks like she could belong to the family. We won’t have to use a transformation jutsu to blend in.”

“And lucky the Kawano family is so large that they won’t notice one cousin that might be a bit out of place,” Tenten added, her hand checking over the pocket in her dress that hid her storage scrolls. “I can get to my weapons quickly if necessary. The Kawano family had better watch out.”

Lee, as usual, grinned and gave her a thumbs-up. “And you look great, Tenten! The dress really suits you.”

Tenten smiled back. She waited, hoping for Neji to add his own comments, but he was staring off into the distance, impassive as ever.

Tenten suppressed a sigh. She had hoped the dress— a cheerful pink cheongsam— could have made Neji flustered, but so far, he had barely looked at her. She might as well have been wearing a paper bag.

Pushing away thoughts of potential romance, Tenten forced her mind to return to the mission. They were on the trail of Toishi Kawano, an infamous criminal who specialized in drug trafficking and was suspected in the murder of a Daimyo’s son. A few lesser shinobi had already been sent to capture him, but they had all failed. Desperate, the Daimyo had hired Tenten’s team instead.

After tracking his whereabouts, they discovered that the man was likely to attend a wedding his cousin was hosting. Using that knowledge, Neji had created a simple plan; they would infiltrate the wedding party in disguise and blend in. 

Their scheme was likely to succeed. The Kawano family had so many members that even the most lineage-obsessed old fart wouldn’t recognise everyone. Tenten could pass as just another Kawano with her brown hair and eyes, and Lee could work behind the scenes as a waiter. Neji, meanwhile...

Tenten swallowed, glancing at her teammate from the corner of her eye. She felt her stomach flutter from nerves that were not caused by the mission. Why did Neji have to look so pretty? It wasn’t fair. It was even less fair how out of her reach he was. How could she confess her feelings for someone so polished, so perfect?

Well, at least by acting as a couple during the wedding, she could pretend, if only for a little while.

“So we’re all on the same page, right?” Neji asked, turning his attention back to Lee and Tenten.

“Yosh!” Lee gave them a thumbs up and grinned, his teeth white enough to glow. “Good luck! Have fun on your date!” With that, he headed toward the back of the reception hall where the other waiters were still setting up. 

Tenten felt her stomach flutter once again. Could it really be called a date when it was only for a mission? At least she could use the experience for inspiration in her daydreams later.

“Are you ready?” Neji’s eyes were focused solely on her.

Tenten forced a blush from her face. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

Neji hummed and walked away, Tenten at his side. A few minutes later they joined the crowds of people entering the reception hall, blending in effortlessly.

“Do you see Kawano?” Tenten murmured. Wanting to look less conspicuous, she wove her arm through Neji’s own.

“I can’t use my Byakugan here,” Neji whispered in her ear. “I’d need to go somewhere more hidden.”

Tenten nodded. “Should we just wander around and search or should we find a secluded place for you to use your Byakugan?”

Neji hesitated for a moment before answering. “Let’s wander. I don’t want to risk catching anyone’s attention by disappearing as soon as we arrive.”

Tenten hummed, feeling her heart beating faster at the thought of spending more alone time with Neji. “If you say so.”

They wandered through the room, socializing with strangers and taking bites of the appetizers being passed around. It was more fun than it should have been. Tenten hated to admit it, but the family– harboring at least one major drug trafficker plus dozens of minor criminals– had put on a great event.

“I think I might be enjoying this a bit more than I should,” Tenten confessed as she took another tiny meatball from a waiter’s tray.

“How so?” Neji turned to look down at her

Her mouth full of food, Tenten shrugged before swallowing. “I guess I just find I’m having a lot of fun with you,” she confessed. “Almost feels like we’re on a real date.”

Neji cleared his throat, not meeting her eyes. 

Tenten wanted to slap herself. Why had she said that? Might as well have confessed her crush right then and there instead. 

“It’s just that we don’t spend much time outside of missions together,” Tenten continued. “Maybe we should do this kind of thing more often with Lee. We’re a team, right?”

Some of the tension eased from Neji’s shoulders and he nodded. “Our lives are full of various responsibilities and it is difficult to find time to enjoy each other’s company in a more informal setting.”

Tenten rolled her eyes. “Yeah, we need to get you to relax,” she mumbled. “You speak even more formally than my grandfather.”

Neji frowned at her but said nothing. He opened his mouth as if to speak but looked away when something seemed to catch his attention. Tenten followed his line of sight.

Lee was standing by the wall, a tray full of appetizers held in his hands. Without hesitation, Neji and Tenten walked toward him.

“So what are these?” Tenten asked, pointing to the meatballs on a stick and giving Lee what she hoped looked like an insipid smile. She had an act to sell.

“They are meatballs coated in a sweet and sour sauce,” Lee replied with a grin, lifting two fingers up in a peace sign.

_Target seen._

“Oh, really? And how is the sauce made?”

“It’s a family secret!” Lee said, bringing a finger up to his lips before pointing to a corridor leading out of the main reception area. “Although I will tell you that it includes real honey and soy sauce!”

_I saw Kawano over there._

Tenten took one of the meatballs and placed it in her mouth. “Wow! It’s so good!” she gushed, her excitement only partially fake. She picked up another meatball and brought it up to Neji’s lips. “Darling! Try it! Say ‘ah’!

Neji blinked, brow creasing. Nevertheless, he opened his mouth and accepted her offering. Tenten bit her tongue to keep herself from blushing.

Neji chewed on the treat, his expression unchanging. He swallowed and nodded. “It’s good.” His voice sounded as composed as always.

“It is, isn’t it?” That time, Tenten _felt_ her face heat up and she swallowed.. “Anyway, let’s look for my cousin. I still haven’t said hello to him.”

Neji nodded, face impassive. He exchanged one last glance with Lee, who grinned at them both and winked. 

_Have fun!_ his expression seemed to say.

Tenten suppressed a groan, wishing the ground would open up and swallow her whole. Following Lee’s not-so-subtle signs, they headed toward a corridor leading out from the main wedding hall.

The corridor split off into identical empty passages. Tenten heard footsteps coming from the right, so she followed the sound. Neji walked next to her, his arm still entwined with hers.

Heart beating faster in anticipation, Tenten pressed the palm of her free hand over her hidden weapon scrolls. It was almost as reassuring as Neji’s presence. At her side, she felt Neji tense as they prepared for a potential fight. 

Reaching the end of the corridor, they shared one brief glance before disentangling from each other. With one final breath to calm themselves, they turned the corner and readied for anything.

However, instead of criminals, there were only two doors leading into the men and women’s toilets. Tenten could not suppress a groan from escaping her lips.

“Ugh, this is so annoying!” she whined, clenching her hands into fists at her sides. “Why can’t we just find Kawano and go home?”

“I’m sure he will show himself soon.” Neji’s eyebrows contracted into a frown. “Perhaps we should have gone the other way?”

“Or maybe our target needed to use the facilities,” Tenten said.

“Should we wait for him to come out?”

Tenten shrugged and let out a sigh. “Maybe.” She took a step back and leaned against the wall. “Well, at least we’re having fun.”

“We are?” Neji’s eyes widened and he joined her, although he did not lean on the wall with her.

She snorted. “What? Are you saying being on a date with me right now is terrible?” she teased, smirking up at him as she took a step closer to him. She felt her heart beating faster inside her chest at the proximity but she ignored it. “I thought you were having fun, too.”

“What? No! I just—” But before Neji had a chance to explain himself, Tenten heard footsteps coming down the hall.

“We need to go,” she whispered. “I don’t know about you, but two people hanging outside public restrooms without doing anything looks pretty suspicious.”

Neji nodded. Walking fast, they left their place next to the wall, past the toilets, and down the hallway. 

However, instead of entering the toilet as Tenten had expected, the steps followed them. Panicking over losing their cover, they walked faster but it was impossible to escape. They arrived at a dead end, with only a sofa and a few decorations to break up the monotony. It would have been the perfect place to use Neji’s Byakugan if they didn’t have someone on their tail.

Tenten’s heart was beating faster and faster in her chest. They couldn’t risk losing their cover until they found Kawano and two people standing at the end of a hallway doing nothing was too conspicuous. They had to do _something_ to get their pursuer off their tail.

Previously forgotten advice from her kunoichi lessons at the Academy resurfaced. _Public displays of affection make observers uncomfortable and are thus valuable options in case a distraction is required._

Back then, Tenten had dismissed her teacher’s advice. She had wanted to specialize in weapons even back then. Fake kissing wasn’t going to be something she would have to do during a mission, was it? 

Desperate, Tenten pulled Neji by his haori until they were face to face. She closed her eyes and felt Neji’s presence only a few inches away from her. 

Neji blinked down at her. “Wait, Tenten. Are you saying we should—?” He gulped, unable to finish his question.

Tenten nodded, feeling her face starting to heat up. So the boys had talked about _that_ in their own lessons, too. “Yeah. it’s the only thing we can do if we wanna stay hidden,” she whispered back, unable to meet his eyes.

“You don’t mind?” Neji asked.

“Do you have any better ideas?” she retorted. “Just kiss me.”

“Are you sure you are okay with this?” Neji’s eyes were wide with apprehension but they stayed locked on her lips.

Tenten nodded, blushing red, feeling guilty about the things she wasn’t telling Neji. She was going to enjoy it more than he suspected. 

With a blush of his own, Neji leaned forward and met Tenten’s lips with his. 

It felt wonderful, better than the practice kisses she had done with her stuffed teddy bears. Was this Neji’s first kiss, too? If so, he was a better natural kisser than she had thought. 

Instinctively, Tenten placed her hands on his shoulders and pulled him even closer. Neji must have really wanted to sell the act because he placed one of his hands on her cheek while the other rested behind her waist, keeping her locked within his arms.

The footsteps reached the end of the hallway. 

“Oh, it was just one of his relatives,” their pursuer grunted before walking away. 

Tenten waited after their footsteps vanished to break the kiss. Reluctantly, she pulled her face away, breaking the embrace and looking down at the floor. 

“Oh... um... sorry.” She had no idea what she was apologizing for, but Neji’s face was so flushed she could feel it heating the air. “I know it’s a valid distraction strategy, but—” 

“It’s fine.” Neji cleared his throat. “It was... nice.” 

Tenten snorted. “You don’t have to compliment me just because you think I’ll get offended.” 

“I’m not.”

Tenten sighed and crossed her arms in front of her chest, still staring at the ground. “I guess we need to get back to looking for this guy, don’t we?.” 

She tried to walk away, but before she had more than a single step, Neji wrapped his hand around her wrist. “Wait, Tenten!” 

“What is it?” she sighed. “We need to return to our mission!” 

“The mission can wait.” 

Tenten’s jaw dropped and the shock made her spin to meet Neji’s eyes. “What?” 

She gaped up at Neji. Neji never put the mission on hold. Neither did she, but still.

“I said that the mission can wait.” Neji swallowed. She watched the movement as his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. His face was flushed, the color standing out starkly against his pale complexion. 

“N-no, I heard you,” Tenten muttered, feeling her own face heating up at the look on Neji’s face. “I just couldn’t believe you.” 

Neji swallowed again before answering. “I enjoyed our kiss,” he confessed. “And...” he paused, his face becoming, if possible, redder. “I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time.” 

Tenten wasn’t sure how much time passed.

All she knew was that she could only gape at Neji as she tried to make sense of his words. When her brain finally did, she felt her whole body heat up at the confession. Embarrassed, she covered her face with the palm of her free hand and let out a soft scream. 

“What?” Tenten shook her head. “What are you talking about? What kinda thing is that to confess here and now?” 

“I-I’m sorry.” Neji let go of her wrist as if electrified. “I... If you don’t want to— I know it’s last minute. I know— I just...” His words trailed off. “I’m sorry for taking advantage of a precarious situation to confess my own romantic feelings for you, Tenten.” He bowed to her. 

Tenten groaned, using her newly-free hand to squeeze the bridge of her nose. “I... I wish you had done it sooner,” she mumbled.

“Oh.” 

“Yeah.” 

The seconds ticked by and Tenten still could not look Neji in the eye. However, someone had to break the tension, so she spoke again. 

“D-do you—” she bit her lip. “Do you wanna... you know... do it again?” She forced herself to look up and meet Neji in the eye. 

His face looked as red as hers felt. She heard a sudden intake of breath from Neji and he nodded, unable to say anything. 

Taking the opportunity, Tenten took a step closer, placing the palms of her hands against the wall and trapping Neji inside her arms. If Neji found the position unusual, he said nothing and he pressed his back against the wall. He licked his lips before his mouth parted, ready for another kiss. 

Tenten did not hesitate. She closed the distance, their lips meeting once again. Their second kiss, felt, if anything, better than the first. It was real. It was wanted. It was... much better than she had imagined. 

Neji placed his hands on her hips, pulling her closer until they stood chest to chest. Tenten let out a moan of pleasure, echoed in Neji’s throat.

Pressing herself as close as she could, she pushed her tongue against Neji’s lips. To her delight, Neji let her in. Their tongues met and their embrace deepend. She used one hand to comb through Neji’s soft hair while the other grabbed onto the back of his neck. 

How far was she willing to take this? And Neji? Did he also want more? The question sent a shiver of pleasure rolling down her back and she pressed her hips closer to his.

“Neji! Tenten! I—” Before Tenten could experiment further, Lee’s loud voice at the end of the hall interrupted their embrace. “Oh, sorry.”

“Lee!” Neji and Tenten shouted at the same time. Caught red-handed, they jumped apart, their backs against the wall and their faces hot.

“W-when did you get here?” Tenten asked. 

Next to her, Neji tried to comb his hair back into place without much success. “What are you doing here, Lee?”

Lee, his own face flushed pink, blinked at her. He tilted his head to the side, a confused frown on his face. “We’re on a mission.” His eyes widened as he remembered something else. “Right! I just remembered! Toishi Kawano recognized me and is trying to escape! We have to capture him before he can leave!”

“What?” Neji’s eyebrows creased into a frown as his mind returned to the mission. “Kawano is escaping?”

Lee looked close to rolling his eyes in annoyance, but he was too good for that. “That’s what I just said!” He started to run away without waiting for Neji or Tenten. “We have to catch him!”

Neji nodded, following after Lee with Tenten at his heels. Their minds back on the mission, they ran down the hall in pursuit of their target.

“Hey, Neji,” Tenten said as they ran.

“What is it?” Neji didn’t turn to meet her eyes. She saw Lee’s shoulders tense, listening in and pretending not to.

Tenten bit her lip before speaking again. “Do you want to go on a date once we get back to Konoha?” she asked.

Neji’s expression was as impassive as ever but the effect was ruined by the growing pink blush.“I would like that,” he confessed.


End file.
